Inauguration of the Rokudaime - Naruto Uzumaki
by Skyrimosity
Summary: With a slightly different end to the fated battle between brothers, Naruto is quickly considered for the highest position in Konohagakure: the seat of Hokage. What will the process of getting to the long-awaited chair actually be like for the Hero of the Leaf? (Two-shot; pretty light-spirited.)
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Ascension of the Rokudaime

**A/N: Please Read. **This might be surprising to learn, but this story is my first ever piece of Naruto fan-fiction. It has been edited to fit within the mold of a two-shot; however, I have decided to not edit it too much in order to keep aspects of the original style for myself. I have decided to publish it to this site because I know it would appeal to at least a few people and I figure, hey, I basically have a completed story on-hand. While I'm not trying to excuse myself from criticism (as always I do welcome all reviews) I basically decided that I didn't want to change the writing too much so I'd have a mirror to the past while also deciding not to simply let it stay hidden away forever in my computer when others could get the chance to read it.

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Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Naruto Uzumaki. Originally, he was known as the "demon-brat." He would walk the streets of Konoha only to be met with harsh glares and murmuring, which he knew was hateful. He would walk into shops and, often, he would get kicked out or, sometimes, they would only overcharge him. He joined the Ninja Academy, only to fail his graduation test twice and only passed on the third try because he learned a forbidden technique from a scroll he stole and stopped a traitorous teacher. In a class with an Uchiha Prodigy and filled with future clan-heads, he was the dead last.

This could not stop him, however, for he had a dream that had to be met. He trained as hard as he could and sought desperately to get stronger. His sensei, Kakashi Hatake, chose to ignore him. Before the Chunin Exams, he was taught how to use chakra to walk on trees and nothing else. The container of Kurama, the Kyuubi no Kitsune, the strongest of all the tailed beasts, with the largest amount of chakra within the elemental nations, knew only four jutsu. Thankfully, during the month between the second and third round of the Exams, he met an outstanding individual: Jiraiya the Toad Sage. Jiraiya had agreed to teach him and, looking back, Naruto knew it was likely because of the man's relationship to his father.

In that one month of training, Naruto grew stronger physically, learned a summoning technique for toads, and learned to access Kurama's chakra. This was the first time he had actually been taught in his shinobi career thus far, yet he held no resentment toward Kakashi or anyone else. He would simply move forward. In the final stage of the Chunin Exams, he pulled off an upset that many people dubbed a miracle. He defeated the older Neji Hyuuga, whom many proclaimed to be the Prodigy of the Hyuuga Clan. He did not stop at that, however, for Orochimaru's plans intervened. During an attempted invasion of Konoha, he defeated Gaara of the Sand, Jinchuuriki of the One-Tailed beast. Perhaps if more people knew of this feat, they would have recognized him for what he could become.

After retrieving Tsunade to become the Godaime Hokage, things were looking up for the young Naruto. That changed, however, when Sasuke defected. He was assembled to retrieve the traitor along with a team led by Shikamaru Nara, a true genius. They were split-up during the mission, unfortunately, and Naruto was forced to fight against Kimimaro Kaguya. Creating hundreds of clones and using an absurd amount of chakra, he watched in horror as they were all dispatched. Thanks to the intervention of Rock Lee, however, he was able to pursue Sasuke.

Naruto was deeply saddened when he awoke in a Konoha hospital room and learned of Sasuke's escape. A part of him believed that, once his friend had seen the damage that his defection would cause, he would come back to Konoha and ask forgiveness. He admitted now that he took a foolish route. If he had only defeated Sasuke, he could have returned and measures could have been taken to regain his loyalty. Still, it was all a blessing in disguise: if Sasuke had not defected, he likely would not have had the power to help defeat Madara and Kaguya later on.

After returning from his two-and-a-half year training trip with Jiraiya, Naruto was met with an entirely new feeling: respect. All of the Konoha Eleven respected his ability and treated him as a friend. It seemed that absence truly made the heart grow fonder. His drive to achieve his dream only increased: he would train hard, bring back Sasuke, and then he would push forward. Unfortunately, the Akatsuki had different plans. They kidnapped Gaara with intent to kill but, fortunately, Naruto, Team 7, and Team 9 successfully saved the Kazekage thanks to a revival jutsu used by Lady Chiyo of Suna.

When the leader of Akatsuki killed Jiraiya, Naruto felt a level of sadness he could not quite describe. His first real ninja teacher, the closest thing he had to a father in his life, was dead. Naruto, however, was chosen to continue the legacy of Jiraiya by becoming the next Toad Sage and mastering Sage Mode. When Pain, the supposed leader of Akatsuki, destroyed Konoha, he used the Sage arts to great effect in defeating the man. It was not enough, however, and with his emotions overrun, he nearly released a belligerent Kurama. It was at this time that he met his dad, Minato Namikaze, the Yondaime Hokage.

With renewed drive, he defeated Pain and met Nagato, the person controlling Pain. Thanks to Naruto's heartfelt desire to change the world into one of peace, Nagato sacrificed his own life in restoring those in Konoha who perished in the fight. When he struggled back to Konoha on the back of a revived Kakashi, he was met with three things: admiration, overwhelming respect, and love. The people of Konoha, who once shunned him, dubbed him the "Hero of Konoha" and adorned him with praise. His strength was officially recognized. The entire village could not stop one man, but Naruto did.

During the Fourth Shinobi War and the fight with Madara, Naruto gained the respect of every Kage and possibly every shinobi. His shadow clones, powered by Kurama, whom Naruto had defeated in his mind to gain untainted chakra, scattered to every front and decimated the enemy. He persevered against unstoppable enemies and used his abilities to save as many as possible. Truly, he could now be considered a hero to nearly everyone.

After defeating Kaguya, Naruto had to fight Sasuke one last time. It was at the valley of the end. Both fighters were extremely exhausted and nearly depleted of their chakra reserves. Naruto had his back to Sasuke, and vaguely heard the distinct sound of a Chidori.

_'Looks like I will have to do things differently this time. I'm sorry, Sasuke, but I can't let you __continue this path__. __I can't let you kill the Kage; can't let you kill the Tailed Beasts.__ I have to change the world; I have to find peace.' _With those thoughts in mind, Naruto poured his chakra into a Rasengan. This was no normal Rasengan, however; it was one of his variations. He infused small amounts of his wind chakra into the spiraling sphere. While nowhere near as powerful as his Rasenshuriken, it packed a punch well beyond the normal Rasengan. With his energy at his limit, he lunged at his opponent as his opponent lunged at him.

Lightning met wind and, unfortunately for Sasuke, it was a fight that wind was destined to win. The Wind Style: Rasengan ground the Chidori into nothingness and plowed through Sasuke's arm, cutting it in half. Sasuke barely had time to register the pain before he was on the ground, blood flowing from his open wound. "Why… why do you always pursue me!?" screamed the Uchiha using nearly all his remaining energy.

"Because you're my friend, Sasuke, and what kind of Hokage would I be if I let my friend destroy himself?" With that said, Naruto collapsed on the ground beside Sasuke, his remaining chakra barely a drop compared to the vast ocean he normally maintained. He saw the pained look on his best friend's face, yet something told him it was not physical pain. This time he knew that he had succeeded; Sasuke would willingly return to Konoha. Seeing Sasuke fade into unconsciousness, he finally allowed his worn body to do the same.

Sometime later, he awoke to a sight that almost made him cry tears of joy. The pink hair told him who it was in an instant, and she was healing Sasuke. It was like Team 7 was finally reunited. "Hey Sakura" he weakly stated. She looked at him and spoke slowly.

"Hey Naruto… nice to see you awake, I guess. You really did a number on him. His arm's ruined… not sure what I can do. The bleeding's stopped… are you okay?"

He smiled; they were finally a proper team. Sakura was not Sasuke's obedient servant, and Sasuke would finally recognize that he could be a friend. With great effort, he managed to stand. Forming a cross seal, he created a shadow clone to carry Sasuke. Further medical treatment in the field was pointless; he could go back to Konoha's hospital. "I'm fine." And with that, they began the trek to Konoha. This time, he was victorious and would return with Sasuke Uchiha.

A day later, having set a slow pace due to Sasuke's condition and the lack of urgency, they saw the gates of Konoha. He was never happier to see them. From what he could tell, the village had not been damaged by the war. It was as beautiful as he could remember. He hoped his friend would see that as well, but he wasn't too worried about that. With Sasuke's long-term betrayal, the first thing to worry about would be his punishment. He hoped it was lenient; his friend had been manipulated his whole life but, when he finally became self-aware, only wanted Konoha's success. He had gone about it the wrong way, sure, but the fact still remained.

As soon as he walked through the gate, every human being turned their eyes to him. There was a moment of silence, but Naruto just kept taking steps with Sakura closely behind. Then it began. The people began to chant.

"Our Hero has returned!" shouted one man. "The hero of the war is back!" shouted a nearby shinobi. Naruto frowned a bit at that, but said nothing. People began to shout, and a crowd began to form. The path to the hospital had people cheering the entire way. Halfway there, he began to wonder if they would welcome Sasuke back. Then he saw three genin charging down the street to see him, and his heart soared. He was so happy they were safe and didn't have to fight in that war.

"Hey Boss!" Konohamaru happily shouted. "Is it true that you ended the war, like the people say you did?" He, Moegi, and Udon eagerly awaited a reply.

Naruto paused for a bit, deciding on an answer. He didn't want or deserve all the credit. "The war is over. Thank Kami." he paused for a brief moment before he raised his voice. "But I cannot take the credit for winning the war. Without the shinobi of the Hidden Leaf and the citizens who support them, the war could not have been won. Without the combined forces of the elemental nations, we could not have won. Everyone played a part. I might have defeated a tough enemy with the help of my sensei and my best friend, but I had no hesitation only because I knew that this village and its people could endure and would support us, for that is the will of fire!"

He had to admit; that speech had kind of come out of nowhere. He hadn't thought it through or anything. But when the crowd began to cheer louder and Konohamaru looked at him with stars in his eyes, he knew that he must have said something along the right lines. A contented smile on his face, he continued to the hospital.

The hospital really couldn't do much for Sasuke besides offer him a place to rest and hook up some medical equipment to him. Naruto smiled seeing that Shizune was the one treating Sasuke, though he didn't particularly like the chakra suppressing seals making his friend a prisoner. "Shizune! It's so great to see you! How're you doing? How's Grandma Tsunade doing?"

Shizune smiled a bit; Naruto sounded just like the excitable kid she had met what seemed like an eternity ago but was really only five years. She knew he had matured, and there were moments where he seemed well past his years. She sometimes wondered what the switch was between the naive kid and the experienced shinobi who was now a war hero.

"I'm happy to see you as well. I hope you had a good 18th birthday. I am doing well, and Lady Tsunade is currently on mandatory bed rest. No worries, it was just chakra depletion" she hastily added, knowing full well that he would practically break through walls to make sure she was healthy. "Lady Tsunade's first words were 'I want to see that brat'" she added with a smile. "I will take you to her room."

Sakura stayed behind, as expected, while Naruto followed Shizune. He wondered what Tsunade could possibly want to speak to him about while she was in such a condition. Still, while some people may not consider him the smartest shinobi, he knew not to keep her waiting. Once she recovered, she could punch him through a building if she felt like it. Sure, Kurama would heal him, but it would still hurt. Entering the room, he silently gasped at what he saw. Tsunade had never looked so old and fragile. He knew not to call her grandma in this position.

"Hey Tsunade. I finally brought Sasuke back, isn't that great! So… what'd you want to see me about?" he said quickly, causing Tsunade to chuckle even though it hurt a bit. _'The brat's as subtle as Might Guy. Still, I'm glad he's back. He looks so uninjured. Almost like he didn't stop the greatest threat to Shinobi existence a mere three days ago._

"I'm glad to hear it brat. Anyway, I have a very good reason to talk to you. Shizune, if you please." Shizune smiled and grabbed a very official looking document, handing it to Tsunade. Naruto could see the Hokage's stamp on it and wondered why the woman would be working in her condition.

"Due to your outstanding contribution to the war effort, as well as for displays of strength and leadership far beyond your ranking, I hereby grant you a field promotion to the rank of Elite Jounin. Sponsors for this promotion are Shikamaru Nara, Hinata Hyuuga, Kakashi Hatake, and Tsunade Senju." she said, handing him the document.

He looked at it, not believing it at first. He read it over repeatedly, seeing it was official. At the bottom was a small seal so he applied a bit of chakra to it. The next thing he knew, he was holding a real jounin vest. _Just like Kakashi and Guy, _He thought, putting on the vest.

"… Thanks Baa-chan. This means so much to me. I'll work even harder from now on, that's a promise!" he shouted, making her sweat-drop despite her condition. _The kid defeated an enemy that defeated all five kages, then defeated an enemy that was once a myth and the first human with chakra, but he still is so focused on training?_

"You earned it. There will be a council meeting in a week's time, at dusk, and you will be expected to attend. The subject will be my resignation" she said, her voice dropping a bit at the end, readying for an outburst. Surprisingly, she heard no such thing.

"Y-your resignation? Already? But… but you're still strong! You've protected the village so well… I'm proud of what you've done" he said, in a slightly lower voice than normal. Tsunade was touched that Naruto had such faith in her, but in truth, she knew she would not be remembered too well in the Konoha history book.

Hashirama founded the village, Tobirama ensured its safety and sacrificed himself to kill off Kumo's most elite shinobi force, Hiruzen led the village through two great shinobi wars, and Minato almost single-handedly defeated Iwa and saved the village by sealing the strongest of the tailed beasts. During the reign of the Godaime, however, the village was almost entirely destroyed by Pain and many shinobi died fighting a war against, essentially, one man. Her name would be remembered fondly for a while, but once people who knew her personally were gone, the new generation wouldn't care much for Tsunade Senju.

"Thank you Naruto. However, you and I both know that I am simply not meant for this job. You convinced me five years ago, and I've done my best, but the passion isn't there on a day-to-day basis. I love the village, I truly do, but my will of fire is merely ash."

Naruto walked out of the room without another word, and a single tear fell down his cheek because he wondered if Tsunade would leave again. That thought left quickly, however, because he didn't want to even consider it. Meanwhile, Tsunade smirked because Naruto hadn't asked why he was supposed to attend a council meeting, but she knew the answer. Naruto was a candidate for the Hokage position.

Naruto, however, was thinking of how much things had changed as he walked out of the hospital. He was a beloved hero now, he had the respect of all shinobi nations, and he was now an Elite Jounin. He skipped the rank of Chuunin altogether and, he had to admit, he enjoyed that part. Those silly exams were not designed for a ninja of his caliber at this point. He turned his mind to a more fruitful train of thought: training.

He created one-hundred shadow clones to head off to the nearest training grounds. Once they left, he created two more to go to the ninja library and study a few wind jutsu. Once they were certain they had the handseals memorized, they would dispel, and the clones would begin training. Naruto decided to go to the regular library. He realized now that he had completed his long-term goal of bringing Sasuke back, so that meant he had to train for his new goal: becoming Hokage. This meant he needed to study village laws, clan laws, all the other hidden villages, and how to not completely embarrass himself in front of others. He knew it was a lot, but he wasn't too worried. After all, whoever became the Rokudaime would be in office for a while, of that he was sure. He was just glad that he could always make more shadow clones.

A week passed by quickly. Every day he visited Sasuke in the hospital, and though the man had awoken five days ago, the two rarely spoke. With each visit, however, Naruto could see the anger within Sasuke fade away. Soon enough, he would be a fine Konoha Shinobi, at least if Naruto could help with his punishment. Though, ultimately, that would fall upon the Rokudaime. Along that train of thought, he realized that he was nearly late for the council meeting. He quickly got dressed and ran, hoping to not make a poor impression.

When he threw open the door to see the Konoha council, he realized something: there was no council present. Well, that was not entirely true: One Shikamaru Nara was sitting in the Nara clan-head seat and was sound asleep. Until Naruto's antics awoke the dozing clan-head. "Troublesome… hey Naruto, what are you doing here?"

"Hey Shikamaru, I was invited by Tsunade baa-chan." This caused Shikamaru's eyebrow to arch highly, but Naruto assumed it was because of his informal Hokage title, "but anyway, how are you doing?" he asked, his voice solemn at the end.

"I'm holding up. It's a bit troublesome sometimes, knowing that he won't be there for me anymore. We never talked much, but he always had his own way of getting through to me. I guess it'll take some time. Like Asuma." he said, in a surprisingly flat tone. Naruto decided not to push it, remembering how he had been with Jiraiya.

_Naruto has no business being here; why would Tsunade invite him? He isn't a clan head but maybe she wants for one of Kakashi's students to talk about him? But where's Sakura? Hmm… this seems troublesome._

"So where is everyone?"

"Troublesome blonde. Everyone knew Kakashi would be requested, so they scheduled it two hours before they actually planned to be here."

"Why are you here?"

"I thought it'd be less troublesome to get here early and sleep as opposed to sleeping too late" he said, before putting his head down and dozing off.

Naruto sweat-dropped before realizing that, since he was not a clan-head, he had to sit in a chair in the corner of the room. Grumbling something about feeling like a six year old, he took a seat and waited. Being the container of Kurama and owner of nearly infinite stamina, once he woke up, naps were not usually much of a choice

Two hours later, Naruto examined the clan heads. Shibi Aburame of the Aburame clan, Chouza

Akimichi of the Akimichi Clan, Hiashi Hyuuga of the Hyuuga clan, Tsume Inuzuka of the Inuzuka Clan, Shikamaru Nara of the Nara Clan, Haruki Sarutobi as head of the Sarutobi Clan , and Ino Yamanaka of the Yamanaka Clan.

Naruto knew most of the clan heads as the parents of his friends or, in Shikamaru and Ino's case, friends themselves. Haruki Sarutobi, however, he knew only vaguely as an older cousin of Konohamaru who would be given the seat upon reaching Jounin status. The man seemed composed and confident, and Naruto guessed that he had probably served in the last war and was an elite jounin.

Naruto briefly spoke to Ino, offering her his condolences on the death of her father. Even though he and Ino weren't close friends, he knew that her father was a great man who sacrificed his life for others and deserved to be remembered. She simply gave her thanks before sitting down.

Tsunade walked in next, supported by a cane with Shizune by her side. Just as she sat down, a swirl of leaves appeared in the middle of the ovular table.

"Sorry I'm late, I was arguing with Yamato about home repairs and, since he has Wood release, I stated that he should work in carpentry and construction. He, however..." he trailed off, wondering why everyone appeared to have a lack of interest in his very detailed explanation.

"You're not late, Kakashi; you're actually right on time" Tsunade said with a smirk, making Kakashi realize that they had figured him out. _I'll just have to be later next time! _He resolutely thought. When he noticed Naruto, he nodded to his proud student and figured that they wanted an official report on the battle with Kaguya Otsutsuki. He briefly wondered how he would write such a report, and decided that his wrist suffered debilitating damage in the fight which not even Tsunade could heal.

"Anyway, as everyone but Kakashi knows, we are here to discuss my resignation as Hokage. We will discuss the candidacy of Elite Jounin Kakashi Hatake for the position. Please speak, starting with the Aburame Clan."

Shibi spoke quietly, yet composed and loud enough for everyone to hear. "Kakashi's candidacy is most logical. He is well-known and a strong warrior. Clearly, he is an elite S-class shinobi whom few, if any, can match."

"I don't know about Kakashi. I mean, his personality really isn't fit for the job. With the new alliance, perhaps someone more charismatic?" Chouza said. He would support Kakashi, but he really wanted to try to make sure the room aired its doubts since the decision was momentous.

"I am opposed to Kakashi's nomination. One of his students defected while another would have defected if the traitor hadn't opposed. In addition, my daughter has had contact with his one loyal student, and he has talked about Kakashi's training methods. I must say, his teaching and leadership is hardly befitting of a kage" Hiashi stated harshly, though everyone knew his real problem was the Sharingan. Hyuuga and Uchiha hated each other over their dojutsu; even if it wasn't an Uchiha with the Sharingan, he still hated it.

Tsume scoffed. "Kakashi's loyalty is hardly a question. It can't be helped if he had a wannabe Alpha and a love-sick pup on his team. He was, however, the prized student of the Yondaime himself."

Shikamaru said, lazily, "This is troublesome. Kakashi's as good a candidate as any, but if any other candidate is actually qualified, Kakashi will try to dodge it. He's practically a Nara."

"The Sarutobi Clan honors the Will of Fire above all else," Haruki began, "and Kakashi clearly possesses this will. He has never hesitated to put his own life at risk to protect the village and its inhabitants."

Ino stated, somewhat quietly (at least for her), "I talked with Sakura a few times. I mean, if it wasn't for Tsunade's apprenticeship, I have to wonder if she'd still be alive. She wasn't really taught…well, anything by Kakashi. Nidaime, Sandaime, and Yondaime were all noted to be excellent teachers and they were all capable kage. I guess I'm just not sure." Everyone was surprised by the girl's knowledge, and she would admit that she had freshened up on history knowing she would help choose the next Hokage.

After everyone digested the reality of the girl's words, Tsunade decided to move forward. "Kakashi, what do you have to say?"

Kakashi eye-smiled. "I have nothing to say. Every point raised both for me and against me is accurate. I will take the position if asked, but I wouldn't hope for it. I want to be in the field."

Tsunade smiled, surprising everyone. "Very well. We will discuss our next candidate for the position, Elite Jounin Naruto Uzumaki."

Everyone froze; it barely looked like they were breathing. Every eye glanced from Tsunade, to Naruto, back to Tsunade. Naruto himself could barely stand up, customary in having his name put up for the position as Kakashi seemed to demonstrate, due to the shaking of his legs. Every second felt like an hour; as if he was stuck in eternity. It almost felt like Tsukuyomi. They all thought he was here due to his personal relationship with the Hokage, much like Shizune. They didn't know what to think.

"He got promoted?" Ino eventually managed a question. Tsunade quickly answered.

"Yes, I gave him a field promotion. Given his contribution to the war, I doubt his qualification is questioned."

Hiashi replied "But he has no experience as a leader or as a teacher." He was, however, quite interested. He knew his daughter was interested in Naruto and, until a few moments ago, thought little of it. Suddenly, it seemed as if the Hyuuga could be on the fast track to influence. Still, he couldn't let that get ahead of the village's interest. A weak Hokage means a weak Konoha and a weak Konoha means less power for the Hyuuga to seek.

"It is well known among the Sarutobi that Konohamaru, easily our most promising young ninja, learned his Will of Fire from Naruto. Additionally, Konohamaru has learned Shadow Clones and the legendary Rasengan under his tutelage. For a twelve year old to know either is incredible."

"Shino sees Naruto as a friend; he does not easily acknowledge friends."

"Chouji has only ever spoken highly of him; says Naruto can eat more ramen, even."

"He changed Neji, and Neji died to serve him. His charisma is unmatched, certainly a fine leadership quality. Not to mention, he studied under Jiraiya-sama."

"Kiba doesn't talk about him much, but he did beat Kiba in his first Chunin Exam years back. I admit, I'm surprised an orphan could do that. I trained Kiba personally."

"Naruto may be troublesome, but his leadership qualities are there. With an adviser, I don't see why not."

Ino was the last clan head to speak. "I don't know Naruto very well. In fact, I treated him… quite poorly… for most of his life. Despite that, I would trust him completely with my life. He always puts others first."

To everyone's surprise, Kakashi spoke next. "I acknowledged, during the fight with Kakazu, that Naruto was quickly surpassing me. Though I may now have Mangekyou, Naruto has the Kyuubi's chakra and techniques that even Susano'o would have trouble withstanding. Thanks to his shadow clones, Naruto will be able to train and improve even while on the job. A luxury I could not afford. Therefore, I would support my student." He finished with a patented eye-smile, knowing his sensei would be proud of his son.

"Naruto, would you like to say anything?" Shizune asked, breaking Naruto out of his stupor. His mind was working at a furious pace to process everything that was going on since it all seemed so unbelievable.

"Well, it's an honor to even be considered. It is my life goal to become Hokage so that I may protect this village, and even if it isn't today, I plan on continuing my training because that is my nindo."

Tsunade smiled as she spoke. "So… I really don't have any better candidates. Please state your votes, in alphabetical order of clan name. I will spend two weeks to acclimate my chosen successor, and the Fire Daimyo will be informed."

"Kakashi Hatake." Shibi started.

"Kakashi." Chouza voted.

"Naruto Uzumaki" Hiashi said, getting everyone's attention. They expected him to vote for experience, even if Kakashi had the Sharingan. Suddenly it started to feel a bit more real that Naruto was a viable candidate.

"Kakashi." Tsume said.

"Troublesome decisions… Naruto." Shikamaru eloquently stated.

"Naruto Uzumaki" Haruki said, surprising most of the other clan heads. It was a tie vote thus far, and the youngest council member would decide the fate of the village. Ino gulped, then drew into her thoughts.

_Naruto's young, that's true. But everyone our age knows of his work ethic. Plus, he has international recognition and is friends with the Kazekage. Naruto wants the job; Kakashi doesn't. Won't that affect their performance in the job? _

"… Naruto Uzumaki." Everyone was silent. An eighteen year old had just defeated a respected, veteran ninja for the vote of Hokage. Still, Naruto was known as the Hero of Konoha for a reason. This type of situation hadn't happened since the Yondaime, and even then the man had been older. As everyone's thoughts wandered to the other young Kage, Tsunade smirked. She could retire just as she wanted to.

"If that's the case, then I hereby announce Naruto Uzumaki as my successor and future Rokudaime Hokage. He shall be officially inaugurated in two weeks with a ceremony assuming approval of the Daimyo, of which I have no doubts. No information should leave this room about his appointment; it will be a fitting surprise to everyone. Naruto, do you have anything to add?" Tsunade was somewhat disturbed by his silence.

In truth, Naruto could not believe what was happening. A week ago, he went from genin to elite jonin. True, he had started studying Hokage material, but he hadn't planned to take the spot for another ten years. And here it was, practically handed to him in a package to be opened in two weeks.

Everyone saw the smile that grew on his face. "This is awesome!" A few people looked at him wide-eyed, making him rub the back of his neck in embarrassment. "I mean, this is really a true honor. Thank you, everyone."

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A/N: I think things feel very different from my most recent big stories (Indomitable Duo and New Yellow Flash) while having a feeling very similar to the beginning of Naruto: Dark Disciple. Originally, this story would have been a very long multi-chapter fic featuring heavily in politics with a minimal amount of fighting for Naruto. I wanted to look into how he would assign teams, handle diplomacy, deal with the aftermath of the war, deal with the Daimyo, deal with the budget, deal with friendship, deal with relationships, deal with new threats… I really wanted to write about every conceivable aspect of being Hokage. I made SO, SO many plans for this story but never got past chapter 4 and I thought Chapter 3 was awful. However, I realized it could be edited into a two-shot and decided to publish it as such.

For me, this story is a time capsule. It is new for all of you, however, so I hope you've enjoyed the read. The second (and final) chapter will be up within a week. The reason for changing the Sasuke-Naruto fight is that I felt there was a need to establish something as being different from canon in order to justify a divergence and I thought having the fight end this way would be a fitting closure to a stage of Naruto's life that allowed him to move on to the next step. Sasuke will feature in the next chapter as well so don't think I just made that one change without taking him into account.

Thank you all for reading. Please feel free to follow, favorite, review, or simply continuing onward.


	2. Inauguration

Chapter 2: Inauguration

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto

Naruto had a lot of things on his mind as he left the Hokage Tower. _I can't believe what just happened. I guess I'm going to have to pick __an__ adviser… then probably think of a robe design. Should I do something new or just copy my father's? Gotta admit, __D__ad had a great design. Maybe I need to do something to look __more mature so my age isn't an issue__? Like a haircut? Gah, too much to do!_

Thankfully for him, he was pulled out of his thoughts by a wandering Kiba Inuzuka. "Yo Naruto! What's got you in such a down mood?"

"Oh hey Kiba, nothing much. I was just thinking."

"… You were thinking? Oh man, guess we're all in trouble then. Hey, you wanna have a quick spar? I'm working on a new move and need a real target."

"Sorry Kiba, I don't have the time. Things to do." With that, Naruto walked away.

Kiba blinked twice. Then he blinked a third time. _Naruto never turns down a spar… wonder what's gotten into him?_

Naruto finally decided that, for the moment, he'd just go to Ichiraku's for some breakfast ramen. Well, not that they served breakfast ramen; it was the same ramen as always. He'd just eat it for breakfast. Then he noticed somebody walking just ahead of him, and his heart stopped. _Hinata…_He felt nervous, knowing that he had a lot of uncertainties to deal with regarding her.

"Well Hinata, I enjoyed this. I can't wait to go on a real date with you. I'll see you later." And with that, Naruto left the restaurant, leaving a smiling Hyuga girl behind. When he got outside, he put his fingers into the famous cross position and created 150 clones. "Alright, 100 go to a training ground. I want new wind jutsu ideas. 30 of you, go to the library and study politics. 20 of you, go to the Shinobi library and find some jutsu worth learning."

"Yes Boss!" They said, scattering in three directions.

About half an hour later, Naruto arrived at the Nara compound. Normally, he could have gotten there within minutes but he wasn't in a hurry and wanted to collect his thoughts. Even he could figure out that his days would need to involve a lot of that in the future and, in a way, taking his time was almost like a sort of training. And he could handle any type of training, that was for sure. Passing the clan gates without a worry, due to the guards being asleep, he walked to the largest house and knocked on the door. Seconds later, a woman answered holding a frying pan.

"Can I help you?" she asked, with a sweet smile that made him sense some kind of immediate danger.

"Umm… Yes. Can you send out Shikamaru? Tell him it's Naruto."

"One moment." Seconds later, Naruto heard the distinct sounds of arguing. Or, well, one person yelling but responding in such a way that she knew someone else was talking back that he couldn't hear. Next, he heard the very unique sound of frying pan-skull contact, which he recognized without ever even having heard it before.. Moments later, Shikamaru walked outside rubbing his head rather furiously.

"You truly are the most troublesome blond, Rokudaime-sama" he said, the last part in a quiet whisper with a bit of a glare on his face.

"Hehe, sorry Shika." He rubbed the back of his neck, somewhat embarrassed at somehow getting his friend in trouble with who he presumed was Shikamaru's mother. He really needed to get to know all the clan head's families after he officially had the office, he realized.

"Yeah yeah, what do you want?"

"I need you to be my adviser."

"Sure."

"Now, I know what you're thinking. But I need somebody to make sure I keep a clear head and… what did you say?"

"Troublesome… I said sure. I don't really want to but if you actually set your mind on it then there's no chance I'll be able to outlast you with your constant requests and probably numerous heartfelt speeches and whatnot. Might as well skip the middle and save us all the time."

"Sheesh, you might know me too well Shika. Well, I'm off to the hospital. I expect you by my side for the inauguration."

"Yeah yeah, get going so I can get some sleep." With that, Shikamaru walked inside and Naruto started walking towards the hospital to visit Sasuke. With his adviser secured, it was time to pursue another pressing matter that would soon be on his plate. Becoming the Rokudaime meant that Sasuke's fate would be in his hands. He knew that it would have to be a punishment that the village will approve of. It couldn't be anything that would prevent Sasuke from being an asset to the village because Sasuke was obviously one of the strongest shinobi in the world. But if it was too lenient that would definitely cause a lot of trouble. Maybe if he could get Sasuke to cooperate he could come up with a punishment that looked more strict than it really was that gave Sasuke some freedom. But how would he find the middle ground? It was definitely one of his tougher tasks...

To observers, it was a bit odd seeing their blond symbol of energy and heroism slowly walking down the street, his eyes clearly showing that he paid his surroundings no attention.

It wasn't until Naruto entered Sasuke's hospital room that he was brought back to a proper state of mind. Even after so much thought, it was clear that he would need some kind of signs from Sasuke before he could come up with anything proper. He wasn't expecting it right now but he did still have some time. He saw a familiar blonde woman carefully examining Sasuke's half-arm; a woman that he realized he would soon be able to call his predecessor. Now that was a strange thought; seemed like just yesterday he had gone out to find her for the job.

"Grandma Tsunade, what're you doing here?"

"Well, I'm thinking about some research I could do." Briefly, a thought crossed his mind. He hoped above all else that Tsunade's research was of a different kind than Jiraiya's. "It may be possible to learn from Zetsu and create fully functioning prosthetics. I needed to look at a somewhat recent wound but I'm sure explaining further would confuse you." He chuckled; well, he never really did know all that much about medicine or healing so she was not wrong. At least it was real research and not that pervy stuff, though.

To their surprise, Sasuke spoke up. "Hokage-sama, can you let me speak to Naruto alone please?"

Both Naruto and Tsunade blinked twice at that. Tsunade just looked straight at him and Naruto gave a nod; without a word she left the room leaving it as just the two of them. It was the first time he had heard Sasuke talk since the whole 'final battle' type thing they went through and it was surprisingly polite considering his words about the Kage.

"So, what's there to talk about Sasuke?" Perhaps he could have worded that better.

"You ripped off my arm." Somehow, Naruto could tell there was no malevolence in those words. It almost sounded like he was… joking?

"Only half!" Naruto said, with a smile. Sasuke smirked a bit, before continuing.

"I told you once that true warriors understand each other by fighting. In our last fight, I understood. I understood how much you wanted to protect everything. My conviction was not strong; it came down to a battle of wills and your will was strengthened over a lifetime. That's why you won. I see that now."

Naruto couldn't help but hate the way Sasuke was talking. His friend's voice had a hint of sadness in it which wouldn't be a concern for most people but since it was Sasuke the guy must have been really down. "I guess I'd be in trouble if we fought again, since now you'll have friends and a village to fight for."

"If they ever let me fight again, you mean." It almost hurt Naruto to hear his friend so sad, but it wasn't surprising. Sasuke had trained his entire life to be able to fight, so naturally, he didn't want the one thing he was good at to be taken away. The guy was far too tame right now; if Sasuke had a goal, there was nothing in the world that would stop him from going for it. They were similar in that way.

"I wouldn't worry about that, Sasuke. I suggest you start reading up on one-handed signs because you'll be out and about in no time, I promise!" It seemed unlikely that even if Tsunade were to create the most perfect fake arm ever that Sasuke would use it.

"You promise?" The tone of his friend's voice made the question feel very sincere.

"Yes, I do." Of course he did; he went through all this trouble to get Sasuke back and he was going to make sure his friend had a chance at happiness. Naruto knew he could be happy being Hokage even if it meant he never fought again but he didn't think Sasuke could deal with the idea of not fighting.

"Well then, I guess I'll have Sakura get me some books. Thank you, Naruto." The blond could tell that it was a very difficult, perhaps even painful thing for Sasuke to say but he was happy beyond belief to hear it.

"No problem. You just get some rest. I've got to go for now, just wanted to check up."

Naruto left the room smiling ear-to-ear. Finally, it felt like he and Sasuke were truly friends. At least, they weren't on completely opposite pages on everything. Maybe now that bastard would stop being such a stick-in-the-mud. And maybe it'd be easier to get him a seemingly-strict-but-actually-not punishment.

The rest of the day was uneventful, with Naruto mostly just walking around and saying hello to people he'd never met. Naturally, autographs were signed for kids as always. The following morning, however, Naruto woke up to the sound of knocking. When he answered the door, he saw a familiar looking ANBU with a mask on. "Uzumaki-san, the Hokage requests your presence."

Naruto stood still for a moment, trying to remember who this was. Then he smiled. "Sure thing, Yamato-sensei." The ANBU disappeared in a flicker and Naruto quickly got dressed before walking to the Hokage's office. Normally, he would've jumped across rooftops with reckless abandon. However, after saving a village a few times, he figured it really didn't hurt to take things in whenever he could. He remembered the Third saying some similar things once or twice, way back when he was a kid.

When he got to the Hokage's office, Tsunade sent the ANBU out of the room. "Good Naruto, you're right on time. Please wait for our other guest." Naruto wondered who the other guest was going to be. He figured that it was definitely going to be someone super important and, if he had to guess, it would be some adviser that would try to push on him the important aspects of being Hokage, like being thoughtful but decisive or stuff like that.

A minute later, a plain looking man in his later years walked into the room and his eyebrows raised when he looked at Naruto. Tsunade nodded and apparently that told the man all he needed to know.

"Naruto, this is Idate. He was the tailor for the Yondaime and myself. He will be in charge of making your Kage robes."

"A pleasure to meet you, Rokudaime-sama."

This was a twist Naruto had not been expecting. Really his adviser theory had seemed sound. "Ummm. Yeah, you too."

"Now, I will be needed to do your fitting to make the robes. This might take a while, but it is necessary. Rest assured, Tsunade-sama has informed me that your appointment is to remain secret."

Naruto quickly used a shunshin to get outside the building and created 200 clones to experiment with his Wind Armor jutsu. Then, he jumped to the window to get back into the office; turns out that the office has some kind of seal to prevent shunshins from outside.

Five hours later, and Naruto was beginning to wonder if he should have left a clone with Idate.

"How is this taking so long!" he grunted, to which the tailor laughed.

"Hokage robes have to be noble, authoritarian, but friendly for when you're in the village; however, they must also be imposing and dignified for foreign visits and combat situations. In order to ensure that, precise measurements must be taken and, although there is a bit of leeway, if you should gain a moderate amount of weight or change physical stature much this process will need to be repeated." Naruto gulped out of nervousness at that idea. As if he needed another reason to keep up his training.

"Okay, we're finally done. Now, for the finishing touch, what would you like to be the design on your robes?" Writing down a few things on a notepad, Idate recorded the last of the measurements. Naruto seriously had no idea what the guy had measured but he was sure the list of what Idate did not measure would be shorter.

"I want it to be similar to the Yondaime's; white with the red flames coming up from the bottom. Of course, Rokudaime written on the back. Also, I know you did all your measurements, but I was thinking: could you make it a bit shorter in the back? I don't want it getting dirty or anything from walking around."

"I think I can make that work. I'll have it ready by your inauguration."

When Idate left the room, Naruto could tell that Tsunade was a bit puzzled. "I suppose I can't be too surprised that you'd go for something like Minato's. Always have to be the flashy hero, huh?"

"Yeah, well, my dad had some great Kage robes so who could blame me for wanting robes like his. Besides, we're in the Land of Fire and the Old Man always preached about the Will of Fire, so it just seems more appropriate than your get-up."

"It's official; you're insane. But no more than usual, I suppose."

"At least I'm not senile like you, Grandma. Now, before you bash my head in, do you know a good barber?"

"I think I know a guy."

* * *

When Inauguration Day finally arrived, Naruto couldn't have been happier. Tsunade had shown him a lot in the past two weeks: proper mission report format, how missions were assigned rank, how pay was distributed, an embarrassing amount of manners; the basics on all aspects of being a respectable Hokage. Ironic, really, given Tsunade didn't seem to like the job and was often asleep. The Inauguration was set to take place in three hours, but first, Naruto had to meet with the Daimyo. The ceremony could still be called off if he screwed up too much but he was pretty confident in his ability to deal with people and wasn't all that worried.

Naruto shunshined to the base of the Hokage Tower then discreetly entered so that no one would notice him. His appointment was going to be announced today, but he wanted for everyone to be surprised. He made sure that he did not do too much out of the ordinary, which mostly just meant training whenever he was not with Tsunade. It was difficult to keep his focus on training most of the time though and he did not get that much accomplished. This morning, he had went to get a quick haircut to make his hair shorter and spikier. When Naruto walked into the room, he saw the Daimyo and two attendants in seats in front of his desk. Naruto quickly walked to his chair, bowed towards the Daimyo, whom returned it ever so slightly, then sat down.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Daimyo-sama. I hope the travel went well?"

"Indeed. I must say, the village is looking so lively nowadays."

"Well from what I hear the village loves a good, official ceremony for this kind of thing. Of course, I've never really seen one of those given Tsunade's circumstances."

"Ah yes, what happened with Hiruzen was such a tragedy. He was always so nice to have tea with. Anyway, it was intriguing to see the merchants' goods on display. Quite a bit more exotic than I remember." Naruto was definitely caught off guard by the abrupt shift in conversation but he regained himself pretty quickly.

"The five-nation alliance has some benefits in terms of trade. With any luck, there will not be another Shinobi War, and we'll continue to prosper."

"You do remind me so much of Minato. Hard to believe it's been so long since his appointment. I'm sure you'll be a fine Hokage. Now, let us not discuss business. I do find it just so tedious, especially after a long journey such as mine." Naruto maintained a straight-face despite his surprise by the man's words. They'd barely started talking and, well, it seemed like a Daimyo-Hokage conversation should be business? "I wish to know the head of my biggest investment a bit better."

"Of course."

"Excellent. My attendants shall serve us tea while we chat."

A few minutes later, with tea in front of them, the Daimyo sighed before beginning to talk.

"This is so relaxing. I do wish I had more time as Daimyo for relaxing chats but there's just so much dreadful business. So tell me, Naruto, are you going to be taking a wife soon? The Hokage's wife has a lot of influence and is a public figure."

Naruto was a bit taken aback by the questioning. Truthfully, he had not expected for the Daimyo to ask him about something like that. "Well... this position is a lot of responsibility, and I've got my work cut out for me. I plan on dating soon but I certainly have not thought of marriage yet."

"That's understandable, but positions of power can be quite stressful. Being a Daimyo is so stressful that I need concubines, even." Naruto resisted the urge to sweat-drop, despite how strong the urge was. He also wasn't sure, but it kinda seemed like the Daimyo made a statement that his position was more powerful thus needed more women. He inwardly sighed, wondering if these were the political games that he should expect in the future. "It would be best not to delay too long; wives can be quite important for social functions." He got the idea that maybe things were very different for people like Daimyo.

A few hours of petty small talk later, in which Naruto did his best to be on good behavior, and Naruto could hear the murmurings of a very large crowd waiting for their new Hokage to be announced. After the council meeting some two weeks ago, Tsunade announced her resignation and told everyone of the Inauguration Day. Following the Daimyo placing the Hat on Naruto's head, there would be a day long festival in honor of their new Hokage. The Daimyo mentioned enjoying the talk and that he would go ahead to the top of the tower, which Naruto took for approval.

The rumors around Konoha seemed to indicate that Kakashi was expected to take the hat. From what he knew, Kakashi would deny even being offered the position and refused any knowledge of the Rokudaime. Those were lies, of course. Meanwhile, the Hokage mansion was emptied of all of Tsunade's belongings and sent to the long-abandoned Senju clan compound. Some people watched the mansion, trying to see who the new Hokage would be by looking for items or people moving in. Sadly, Naruto was a step ahead and decided to move in on the day of his Inauguration. With clones he'd be able to do it all pretty quick, especially with how few things he owned. Shadow Clones were truly helpful.

Naruto's thoughts, which had been distracting him from his nerves, were interrupted when Shikamaru entered the room. Naruto walked to a nearby closet and pulled out his Hokage robes, ready to wear them for the first time.

"You clean up pretty well, Naruto."

"Thanks Shika. I guess its time to go up there and actually get this started, huh?"

"Troublesome." With that simple statement, Naruto and Shikamaru walked up to the roof of the Hokage Tower where Tsunade was already waiting for them, wearing the Hokage's hat, along with the Daimyo.. She nodded at Naruto before beginning to address the crowd. He could see it clearly that a number of people were already whispering, trying to figure out who he was. However, given the distances, and the haircut, and the change of normal clothes, he thought that they'd have hard time. Even if he was wearing an orange shirt. Most of his friends would definitely be ground-level pretty close so he would still not be visible to them.

"People of Konoha, as you know, today we pass the torch of Hokage. I have been blessed to serve you these five years, and I have seen how truly strong each citizen is. When I first came to this village, it was a village in dire need following an attack led by a despicable traitor. In these years, it has brought me some shame that there has been so much fighting despite my truest intention of minimizing casualties however possible. Despite the turmoil, despite the suffering and the misery, you have endured. But not only endure; you encouraged me to endure as well, to give my best for you because you gave your best for me. Truly, the Will of Fire burns brightly to this day."

* * *

Meanwhile, in the crowd, eight members of the Konoha Twelve could barely stand the waiting.

"Hey forehead, who do you think it's going to be? Kakashi?"

"Well Ino-Pig, I've asked Kakashi-sensei a few times times but he denies it. I think he's lying but it's pretty much impossible to get him to give up info. If I had to guess, it'll probably be an older ninja we haven't even heard of."

"Hey Akamaru, can you smell Naruto or Shikamaru anywhere in this crowd?" Kiba asked his dog. The dog sniffed multiple times before shaking its head. "Huh, wonder where they are? Can't believe Naruto would miss this."

Tenten huffed. "Please, Naruto probably used his close relationship with Tsunade-sama to be on the Tower. You know he'd want the first look."

"Yeah, and Shikamaru's probably still asleep" Chouji quickly added.

Shino spoke, surprising everyone. "While it is logical that Shikamaru may be asleep, it is illogical that Naruto would be up there while Sakura, Tsunade's Apprentice, is not."

"He's probably getting some ramen. You can see the tower from Ichiraku's, you know" Sakura said, to which everyone began agreeing.

"Yosh, I can hardly wait any longer! My flames of youth are bursting from excitement! Who will be our new leader?"

Elsewhere, three genin were standing on a rooftop to get a decent view. "So Konohamaru, who do you think the new Hokage will be?"

"What do you mean Moegi, isn't it obvious?"

Udon chimed in. "No, they've been keeping it a closely guarded secret. Do you know, Konohamaru?"

The scarf-wearing leader simply scoffed. "Pfft. Just watch."

* * *

Back on the Tower, Tsunade finished her short speech. "Now, it is my honor to present to you, the Daimyo of the Land of Fire."

The Daimyo walked up and took the Hokage's Hat off of Tsunade's head while the crowd cheered. Seeing the Daimyo looked ready to speak, they became silent, causing the man to smirk.

"It is always a pleasure to visit this great village. I must admit, the enthusiasm of this village never ceases to amaze me, even after all it's been through. Without a doubt, you bear the honor of being my largest investment. However, that's enough of that. It is my honor to introduce a new leader to all of you. He is a man that many of you must know, for his grand exploits are talked of even in the Capital. Surely the passion of this individual is matched only by his purported skills in battle and, dare I say, the pleasantry of his conversation. Citizens of Konohagakure, it is my great pleasure to introduce to you, the Rokudaime Hokage:"

A man with short blond hair and piercing blue eyes walked to a position next to the Daimyo. His white and red robes swayed only slightly in the light wind, giving off an even stronger appearance than he had hoped for. The crowd saw each step he took as a portrait of confidence and power. Few people noticed the rather dull, by comparison, Shikamaru slouching in his walk a few steps behind and to the left.

It felt like hours to Naruto, but it was really only a few seconds. He could feel all the eyes on him, scrutinizing his every movement. But he was not phased by it at all. If anything, it made him feel like he had to look every bit as powerful and authoritative as possible. He hoped they appreciated that nice little wind trick he used to get his robes to sway; he had been so excited thinking of this day that he had not really been able to train anything else. As the Daimyo placed the Hokage's hat on his head, Naruto stood perfectly still, looking over the crowd, as he heard the man proclaim

"Naruto Uzumaki!" to which both Tsunade and Shikamaru got down on one knee to show their allegiance. It was symbolic for Tsunade to do so; a sign of a peaceful transition of power and respect. Shikamaru was just required to do it since he was up there.

For the briefest of moments, there was silence. Then it was like a switch was flipped and the entire crowd recognized their hero. They clapped, they screamed, they chanted. They made so much noise that a few people wondered if they could be heard in Suna.

Seven of the eight members of the Konoha Twelve stood there, in temporary shock. They didn't know what to say or what to do; they just looked at Naruto. He looked so different to them, so calm and confident. They knew his brashness must still be there, yet the Naruto that stood before them hardly made it seem that way. Truly, they were looking at a Kage. Lee, however, had no problem yelling.

"Truly the flames of youth drive Naruto! He is so powerful, I wish I could spar with him! This can only drive me further! If Naruto can become Hokage then I can do 10000 push ups in two hours, and if I cannot do that, then I shall run to Kumo and back on my hands 5 times! And if I cannot do that..."

Meanwhile, Konohamaru was arguably shouting the loudest. "I knew it! I knew it had to be the Boss! We haven't seen him at all since Tsunade announced her resignation! Take that, Udon, you know-it-all! Way to go Boss!" Moegi and Udon were, of course, also excited that their boss got the job, but they wanted to let Konohamaru have his moment.

Naruto smiled as he put his hands into the air to signal for the crowd to go silent. Looking at all the faces smiling, seeing people jumping up and down, yelling, all for him; well, he had never been quite as happy as he was at that moment, but he knew that he needed to say something. After a few minutes, the crowd managed to completely silence their enthusiasm.

"Citizens and Shinobi of Konoha, I cannot say how honored I am to have been chosen for this position. I want to protect this village, and I will do absolutely everything I can to do so. Our past has been one of conflict and war, but that is our past. Our future does not have to mirror it. As long as our resolve stays strong, we can forge our own future. A future of peace, where we don't have to live with the constant thought of enemy villages attacking us. With the Fourth Shinobi War over, now is our time. Things can change. I should know that better than anyone. How do I know that this is possible?

There is a will that flows through this village, one that drives us to do our best and to overcome anything that is thrown at us. The Will of Fire. Through this Will of Fire, we endure, we persevere, and we prosper. When the village was attacked by Oto, we rebuilt and moved forward. When the village was attacked by Pain, we've rebuilt and are moving forward. When pushed to war by an unknown enemy, we fought and overcame. No matter the threat, I owe it to this village to seek to overcome it and to make our lives better in doing it. With your support, we cannot fail in securing the future for those we care for. I promise.

My lifelong dream has been to become Hokage. This is a day I will never forget, but it's not all about me. While we're enjoying the rest of today, let's remember to honor all the prior Hokage for all they've done for us. I only hope to be as great as them, someday. Thank you, everyone, for this honor."

As Naruto closed his mouth and leaned his head down with his eyes closed, the crowd realized he was done talking. So, they began cheering again. A jolt of energy went through his body, as if he hadn't already had enough of it.

_I never go back on my word. I will do everything I can for this village, no matter what. Believe it!_

As he descended the Hokage Tower to join the festival, he silently wondered what his friends were thinking. He allowed himself to inwardly chuckle one last time before exiting the tower, imaging the shock still likely present on each of their faces. The moment he stepped out the door, the mob anxiously awaited him. Shinobi and citizen alike accosted him. Screams of 'Hokage-sama!' 'Rokudaime-sama' and the likes meeting his ears, sounding strange and yet simultaneously euphoric. He knew he had a smile on his face; he knew he'd have one the rest of the day, maybe the rest of the week.

He had really done it, hadn't he?

* * *

Over in the shadows, a figure simply smirked. One Sasuke Uchiha, who had escaped the hospital to view the event. Well, escape is a bit much; all the workers were also attending. Even with his chakra suppressed, it was easy enough to get out. Even with everything he'd been through, his mind wandered back to that first meeting of Team 7. "So, Naruto, it looks like we both achieved our dreams. But what comes next?"

* * *

A/N: If you sign in and leave a review, I can respond to you less publicly. As it stands, thank you to the guests for the reviews. For whatever reason the second guest seemed to have misread the story and, of course, put the blame on me for it.

"Btw, early in the show, Naruto never was working hard," is blatantly untrue. From Episode 1, Naruto learns the Shadow Clone jutsu after working intensely. This doesn't even matter though. The canon recap of 'he trained as hard as he could' comes after the part mentioning he graduated as the dead-last, so clearly that line is applying most directly to the time after graduation. But that's enough of that.

To guest 1: I don't believe I will ever have the time for all that. However, my story New Yellow Flash does include plenty of politics (though it is not a 'Naruto Hokage' story) and will include plenty more. I would encourage you to give it a shot. I do know that the amount of 'Naruto Hokage' realistic stories are minimal and that's why I wanted to write this full story originally; things just didn't quite work out for it.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter and this story. This one was **much** more heavily edited than the prior chapter, in order to make it fit the two-shot formula and to increase quality. I understand that this is essentially the main half of the story, since it includes the inauguration, and I wanted it to have a better payoff than it originally did. This is truly the end of this brief story and so long as it was enjoyable to a few people then I know it was better for me to upload it than to keep it hidden on my computer. I will mention this in all my stories, but I have updated my profile to increase transparency between myself and readers. Feel free to check it out.

Thank you all for reading. Please feel free to follow, favorite, review, or perhaps check out some of my other stories.


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